Migration and Health Webinar Two: Mental health of refugees and migrants: myths and realities

Tuesday, 5 September 2017

The second webinar, entitled “Mental health of refugees and migrants: myths and realities”, will explore the myths surrounding the mental health of people on the move, showcase successful interventions and responses, and critically examine current policy options for addressing this area.

The webinar seeks to embolden audiences to take an active approach to improving the mental health and well-being of migrants and refugees. Recognizing and responding appropriately to the mental health needs of this group can pose many challenges.

There are specific stressors associated with migration and resettlement, such as the traumatic journeys that are frequently endured. Differences in language and culture can make it difficult for migrants as well as health practitioners to articulate and properly identify mental health needs, which can sometimes lead to the unnecessary medicalization of normal psychological reactions to abnormal, stressful events.

Panelists:

Essam Daod, Child Psychiatrist, Co-Founder and Mental Health Director, Humanity Crew
Precious Flint, Cultural Mediator, Médecins Sans Frontières
Fahmy Hanna, Technical Officer, World Health Organization
Marjory Harper, Professor of History, University of Aberdeen
Guglielmo Schinina, Head of Global Mental Health, Psychosocial Response and Intercultural Communication, International Organization for Migration

The webinar series is a collaborative effort under the Migration and Health Knowledge Management (MiHKMa) project, funded by the European Commission; the Ministry of Health, Italy; and the Sicilian Regional Health Authority.